Nanatili akong tahimik. I'm trying to think how to start. "Baby..." malambing na sabi ni Kiel habang yakap-yakap ako. "You're mad at me," he added when he noticed my silence.Sunod-sunod naman ang naging pag-iling ko sa kanya. I am not actually mad, nagtatampo lang."Hindi naman ako galit," sabi ko sa maliit na boses."Then why it seems like you are avoiding, hmm?" "H-Hindi lang kita napansin kanina.""I won't buying that," aniya at saka ipinatong ang baba sa balikat ko. "Tell me, hmm? Everything. I promise you, I won't be mad with whatever you'll tell me."Bumuntong-hininga ako sa narinig at pinaglaruan ang mga kamay. Hindi ko kasi alam kung papaano talaga sisimulan pero bahala na! Besides, we are spouses. We should be open to each other."I... I uhm... just curious why you seemed to be late going home lately... I-I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, okay? Since I know it is because of our business, right? B-But, parang nakakalimutan mo na rin akong i-update o sagutin man lang
He left his coffee on the table as he walk towards the pond. Nakalagay ang isang kamay n'ya sa bulsa ng kanyang black slack habang ang isa naman ay hawak ang kanyang telepono. I could see how firm his hold was as I went near him.Just like earlier, I didn't make much noise para hindi n'ya ako mapansin. At mukhang gumagana naman iyon lalo na ngayong mukhang busy s'ya sa kausap n'ya. To be honest, it is not my intention to eavesdrop and so, I decided to walk away until I heard him mentioning me and my parents.Napahinto ako sa paglalakad papasok ng bahay at muling napagpasyahang lumapit sa kanya. Enough distance to hear everything."You know I like her and you used that to manipulate me!" "Fuck you! It was not my intention to lure her! You pushed me to that extent!" he said angrily on his phone.Her? Lure her? Hindi naman ako iyon, 'di ba? And it really shouldn't be me! I know Kiel... I know him! He won't do such thing."I'm going down with you, Mr. Guineva. And I don't fucking care! Y
Patuloy pa rin ako sa pag-iyak hanggang sa makarating ng bahay. Our driver even had to look out for me dahil muntikan na akong mawalan ng balanse kanina mabuti na lamang at naalalayan n'ya ako.Pagod na ako. I felt like my legs would easily give up anytime."Jusko, hija! Anong nangyari? Wala rito ang mommy't daddy mo ngayon," our former maid Nanay Rosa held my hand and help me walk until inside our home.Narinig ko ring pinasalamatan n'ya ang driver ni Kiel kanina bago ako iginiya papasok."N-Nana," I sobbed, isinubsob ko rin ang mukha sa kanyang balikat. At dahil nga malaki na ang tiyan ko, may malaking gap sa pagitan namin. My position's uncomfortable pero hindi ko na inalintana pa iyon dahil ang gusto ko lang ngayon ay ilabas lahat ng nararamdaman ko."Tahan na, hija," she tried to calm me."Kiel... Si Kiel po, sinaktan n'ya ako. Nagsinungaling po s'ya sa akin." Mas lalong lumakas ang pag-iyak ko. Ilang oras din ako panay ang pag-iyak kay Nay Rosa, hanggang sa hindi ko na namalaya
As we passed by the gate of our subdivision, agad kong napansin ang ilang mga nakadududang sadakyang nakaparada sa gilid, ngunit ipinagsawalang bahala ko na lamang ito.But as we reached the place kung saan hindi matao, pawang pinagsasakahan sa magkabilang gilid ng kalsada lamang ang makikita, biglang may humarang sa aming sasakyan.It was a small car that's why I thought, it was just a mistake... that the driver just mistakenly took an overturn but it turns out I'm wrong dahil pagkalabas ni Mang Roman, para kumustahin ang driver ay s'yang paglabas at pagtutok din nito ng baril sa kanya.Hindi ko na napigilan pang mapasigaw na s'yang ikinalingon ng mga magulang ko na parehong busy sa kani-kanilang mga telepono."Mom... dad... we need to get out of here," ani ko sa nanginginig na boses, hindi ko na rin napigilan pa ang maluha."What's happening, darling—" Hindi na natapos ni mommy ang sasabihin nang sundan n'ya ng tingin ang tinitingnan ko. Napahawak s'ya sa kanyang bibig, nanlalaki a
"Mommy, I feel sick," I told my mom when we were left alone.Kaaalis lang ni Daddy papunta kina Tito Easton— his best friend here in Florida. After Tita Jackie told us I can be sent home, agad na nagpatulong si daddy kay tito Easton para mabilis na maproseso ang mga papeles paalis ng bansa.I haven't been able to bid my goodbyes to Kiel. I'm still mad at him. Hindi ko pa rin maalis sa akin na sisihin s'ya sa lahat-lahat. If he didn't make a deal with Mr. Guineva, siguro ay hindi mangyayari lahat ng ito. Ethan could have been alive.Hindi na rin kami nagdalawang isip na pumunta ng Florida sa takot na baka muli kaming saktan ni Mr. Guineva. We can't risk it.The last thing I know too, days after being away, hiningi ni Kiel ang katawan ni Ethan kay Tita Jackie. He was cremated and his remains were put in a little purple jar. As much as I want to keep it, hindi iyon encouraged ni Tita Jackie because it triggered something in me. Bumabalik lahat ng memorya, trauma at stress na napagdaana
Our life abroad was fine. Lalo na nang dumating sa buhay namin si Dashiell. He brings so much sunshine to our family. Kahit na halos pagod kaming lahat ng mga magulang ko sa trabaho, tuwing nakikita namin ang ngisi at naririnig ang tawa ni Dashiell. Tila ba nabubura lahat ng pagod namin.That's how our life was for the past five years. Mommy and Daddy was busy working with Tito Easton. While I, on the other hand, was busy with my clothing business. Nag e-enjoy naman ako nang sobra rito lalo pa't mahilig din talaga ako sa fashion and design aside from medical stuff. As much as I want to pursue med, alam kong kukulanganin ako nang panahon para rito lalo na't gusto kong tutukan si Dashiell. I can't imagine myself being away from him. Baka habang nag-aaral ako ng med, ang laman ng isip ko ay ang pag-aalala kay Dashiell kung maayos lang ba s'ya.My mom suggested to look for a Nanny pero ayaw ko kasi nun. Gusto kong ako ang mag-alaga sa kanya lalo na't kaya ko naman."Are you excited, hone
I don't know what came into his mind bakit tumabi s'ya sa akin. And most importantly, bakit s'ya biglang naging shareholder ng kumpanya?Is he plotting something again? "Closer po," the assistant of one ot the cameraman mouthed ng camera man nang mapansin na panay ang layo ko kay Kiel.We are currently taking a picture. I'm not informed that he's now open to being known worldwide. Dati-rati, panay ang pagtago n'ya sa identity n'ya pero ngayon...I felt his hand on my waist kaya sinamaan ko s'ya ng tingin. Tinawanan n'ya lang ako at saka muling humarap sa camera para sa normal na picture.Signing documents earlier was so fast kaya agad-agaran din ang naging photo op namin. But despite what happened, hindi pa rin maalis sa isipan ko ang mga emosyong nakita sa mata n'ya nang magtama ang aming paningin. Kahit nang umupo s'ya sa tabi ko kanina, pansin ko na panay ang baling n'ya sa akin.He is like wanting to say something..."Let's have a simple celebration later at my office," ani dadd
We were silent inside the car hanggang sa marating namin ang aming bahay. I immediately walk out of his car when he unlocked it. Hindi ko na s'ya hinintay pa, dire-diretso na aking pagpasok sa aming bahay."Mom! Where's Dashiell?" Bungad ko kay mommy nang madatnan sila ni dad sa dinning table."Oh, darling! Where's Kiel?" aniya, tila ba hindi narinig ang tanong ko. Tumanaw-tanaw din s'ya sa likod ko. "Akala ko ba ang sabi mo ay ipinahatid mo kay Ezekiel?" baling n'ya kay daddy."Yes, honey. I told Kiel earlier.""Oh, eh bakit hindi—""He's outside, mommy! And besides, why did you do that, dad?" I said, frustrated."You two didn't talk?" Bumuntong-hininga ako. "A-A bit... but like I've said, I'm not yet ready, dad!" my eyes started to get blurry. Bago pa man tuluyang bumagsak iyon, dali-dali ko na silang tinalikuran at tinungo ang isa sa aming guest room.As much as I wanted to go to my room, hindi ko iyon magawa dahil paniguradong doon ipinagpahinga ni mommy si Dashiell, and I don't